Active Silvers’ Post

📢 Ukrainian Social Venture Fund invites you to participate in an exchange program between social entrepreneurs from Ukraine and Germany! This stage of the program includes a networking trip to Germany (Berlin or Munich) for Ukrainian social entrepreneurs, startups, and impact-oriented businesses who want to contribute to the rebuilding of Ukraine. 📅 When: December 9th-13th, 2024. We are looking for companies with innovative approaches to supporting the reconstruction of Ukraine, who have the potential to initiate joint Ukrainian-German pilot projects and develop sustainable partnerships with German businesses. 🤔What to expect? The Ukrainian Social Venture Fund (USVF), in collaboration with the Platform for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, the Federal Impact Investing Initiative, and the Fraunhofer Future Foundation, invites you to participate in a five-day working trip focused on connecting with leaders and organizations in Germany's impact community. 📌Important: The working language of the program is English, so fluency is a mandatory requirement. The trip offers: 🔵 unique opportunities to connect and collaborate with the Fraunhofer Future Foundation, the Fraunhofer Society, and other leading organizations in Germany's impact ecosystem; 🔵 space and inspiration to develop innovative ideas and concepts that will contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine; 🔵 support in creating and implementing sustainable impact projects aimed at rebuilding Ukraine. 🚀 10 participants will be selected based on an open competition. To qualify, you must have an established, impact-oriented or social business/startup, a clearly formulated plan for cooperation with German partners, and a high level of English proficiency. ‼️Organizers don’t provide permission to leave Ukraine. If you are applying, you must have a legitimate company representative who is able to leave the country. By submitting an application, the company confirms its agreement to these terms. 🎊Become a part of this unique initiative and contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine! Apply by November 8th, 23:59, using the link: https://wkf.ms/3YN7lYy

A new R300 million ($17 million) Seed Fund of Funds has been launched in South Africa to support promising technology startups, addressing the gap in early-stage funding. Backed by key public and private stakeholders, including the South African SME Fund, the Department of Science and Innovation, the Technology Innovation Agency, and E Squared Investments, this initiative aims to inject critical seed capital into local tech-driven start-ups. The fund seeks to provide early-stage financing for at least 50 start-ups, focusing on technology and innovation. Operating through experienced fund managers, it aims not only to offer financial support but also to foster innovation, drive transformation, and help start-ups scale to local and global markets. Ketso Gordhan, CEO of the SA SME Fund, highlighted the importance of seed funding in entrepreneurial success and innovation. With governments worldwide supporting start-ups as drivers of innovation and economic growth, the South African government, through the DSI and TIA, recognizes the significance of fostering a robust innovation ecosystem. Patrick Krappie, TIA’s acting CEO, stressed the vital role of early-stage funding in enabling young ventures to thrive, emphasizing the strategic partnership to bolster funds towards start-ups and SMMEs.

VCs are betting on Climate & Impact startups to change the world 🌍 The share of total venture capital raised by impact start-ups grew from 18% in 2019 to 37% in 2023. 61% of €7.9 billion in Nordic start-ups, went to those tackling the UN goals (Science Business ‘24). Venture Capital Journal (’24) states Climate Funds have surpassed 2023 totals ($5.2bn) with $6.9bn already raised with 4 months remaining of 2024. Here are 14 VC funds for early stage and/or climate focused startups to take note of: 🌱 Openseed €10M fund. Investing in the future of commerce, health & work. Specifically, operator-led startups in EU & Africa https://lnkd.in/eTvP49Ws 🌱 Prequel (€10M fund) writing €50-€100K cheques, specialising in tech that maps supply chains across EU https://www.prequelvc.com/ 🌱 Impact shakers €20M fund for EU early-stage startups in the climate tech, impact infrastructure & inclusion tech sectors. Initial cheques of €150k, up to €1.5m follow-ons per company. https://lnkd.in/e4p2M6gi 🌱 Kost Capital (€25M fund) for next gen food startups (Pre-Seed and Seed). Cheques of €750k-€1M. Founding partner Mark Emil Hermansen, cofounder of drink flavouring startup Empirical. https://lnkd.in/e5t7SFs8 🌱 Tilia Impact Ventures launches €32M second fund to drive climate, education & healthcare solutions. Investing in Czech & CEE region founders to make systemic environmental & social change. https://tilia.vc/en/ 🌱 Transition Venture Capital (£40M fund) primarily into climate solutions & energy for seed & series A https://lnkd.in/e67g7Emr 🌱 Italian Founders Fund (€50m fund) investing €500k to €1.5m tickets in Italian founders at pre-seed & seed https://lnkd.in/e6NsXB5q 🌱 Identity.vc (€50M targeted fund) backing startups with LGBTQ+ representation in leadership team. Cheques of €250k-€1.5m into approx 25 companies. https://identity.vc/ 🌱 Varsity VC (€75M fund) backing up to 30 companies. 70% saved for follow-ons. Seed stage Fintech, healthtech, climate tech and enterprise software https://www.varsity.vc/ 🌱 Wind raises €90m for European deeptech startups in the climate sector https://lnkd.in/eVi4ZWmu 🌱 Polish Inovo VC closes €105M fund to support early-stage founders with up to €4M investments. 💡 Great website with loads of resources for founders https://inovo.vc/ 🌱 Budapest EIT InnoEnergy (€140M fund) to support clean tech & energy innovation sectors https://lnkd.in/ekzxxnvh 🌱 NordicNinja ($200M fund) supporting early stage companies through Seed in Sustainability, Digital Society & Deeptech (€2-8M ticket size) https://nordicninja.com/ 🌱 Just Climate ($1.5bn fund) backed by Al Gore. A focus on industrial & natural climate solutions. Approx half allocated already. https://lnkd.in/ezbUqDag #startups #founders #venturecapital #fundraising #climatechange

This week in our #𝗙𝗧𝗙, we’re spotlighting remarkable new 𝗩𝗖 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀!🚀🌍 🇿🇦 Seedstars Africa Ventures, fund size: $42M Seedstars Africa Ventures, a venture capital firm founded by Maxime Bouan, Tamim El Zein, and Bruce Nsereko-Lule, is dedicated to accelerating early-stage startups across Africa. The fund announced a $42 million first close to drive startup investments across the continent. Supported by the African Development Bank Group, EIB GLOBAL INC., and the European Union through the ACP Trust Fund - EU Compartment and Boost Africa, the fund aims to bridge critical gaps in early-stage financing. The fund invests up to $2 million in seed and Series A rounds, with follow-on investment capacities of up to $5 million. To date, $10 million has been deployed into five African startups including Bizao | Payment hub in Africa, Xeno, Shamba Pride, Beacon Power Services and poa! internet. 🇺🇸 Trucks Venture Capital, fund size: $70M Trucks Venture Capital, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm founded in 2015, raised $70 million for its third fund. The firm focuses on the transportation sector, with an emphasis on green transportation and climate tech startups. Trucks VC invests primarily in early-stage companies and has built a notable portfolio that includes Faction, an autonomous EV startup, JetZero, an electric aircraft maker, and Railvision Analytics, a developer of train efficiency software. Recent investments include Bedrock Materials, a sodium-ion battery materials developer, BasiGo, an electric bus supplier, and Teleo, an autonomous heavy-equipment software startup. 🇺🇸 Redesign Health, fund size: $175M Redesign Health, a healthcare venture builder founded in 2018 by Brett Shaheen, has announced the raising of a $175 million vehicle dedicated to launching over 20 healthcare companies. Committed to addressing critical challenges like healthy aging, interoperability, and expanding care delivery models, Redesign is backed by prominent investors, including Declaration Partners, EUCLIDEAN CAPITAL, LLC, and True North Advisors. Known for its hands-on mentorship approach, the firm has an impressive track record of incubating over 60 startups, including notable names like Scriptology, UpLift, Vivid Health, and Baton Health. If you want to stay updated on more fund announcements, sign up for our monthly newsletter here > https://lnkd.in/dUDMPTZx

Insights on the top Venture Capital firms in Africa! 🚀 1. Ventures Platform, founded by Kola Aina, invests in African startups like Piggyvest and Paystack, offering over $1 million to pre-seed and seed-stage companies in key sectors like HealthTech and EdTech. 2. Techstars Accelerator supports African startups with $120,000, focusing on areas like Fintech and MobilityTech, offering tailored support and global network access. 3. Voltron Capital targets Fintech and HealthTech startups, with investments ranging from $20,000 to $100,000, backing companies like AltSchool and Bujeti. 4. Y Combinator, a global accelerator, provides $500,000 funding to startups across sectors, supporting African companies like Flutterwave and Nomba. 5. Renew Capital, based in Ethiopia, invests in e-commerce and HealthTech, with an average funding of $228,000, backing companies like Wazi and Xente. 6. Catalyst Fund focuses on tech startups improving resilience in underserved communities with grants ranging from $2,500 to $15,000, emphasizing climate resilience and inclusive fintech. 7. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has invested over $60 billion in African businesses, focusing on HealthTech and Agritech, supporting companies like Kobo360 and Lulalend. 8. DOB Equity, headquartered in the Netherlands, invests in East African startups addressing social challenges, offering funding from $250,000 to $3 million, backing companies like Zuri Health and Victory Farms. 9. Vantage Capital, based in Cape Town, invests across sectors, supporting companies like Ally Roads and EquityInvest. 10. Launch Africa, a pan-African VC firm, invests in tech-enabled startups, offering investments from $200,000 to $300,000, with a portfolio including Chekkit and Gameball. Keep an eye

Poland-based The Linghos wins first-ever NN Social Innovation Startup Award, secures €100K grant: Dutch financial services company NN Group and Amsterdam-based venture capital firm Rubio Impact Ventures, have announced the winners of the first edition of the NN Social Innovation Startup Award, held during Impact Week in Bilbao. Three startups addressing equal opportunities and mental and physical well-being, including The Linghos (Poland), Whispp (Netherlands), and Bugeto (Poland), were ... Read more #TheLinghos #NNGroup #RubioImpactVentures

In a significant advancement for the country’s startup technology sector, the South African Small and Medium Enterprises Fund (SA SME Fund), in collaboration with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), has officially launched a R300 million Seed Fund of Funds. This initiative aims to provide essential early-stage capital to at least 50 technology-driven startups, fostering innovation and transformation within South Africa. The fund addresses a critical gap in the venture capital landscape, particularly for early-stage investments that have historically struggled to attract funding compared to later-stage rounds like Series A and B. The initiative is poised to inject vital resources into the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, nurturing the next generation of industry leaders. #Funding https://lnkd.in/dfjmq9fP

🌟 Unlocking the Path to Unicorns: Join Us at the AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2024! Book your ticket now and join us for an engaging session at the AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2024 in Cape Town as we explore the journey of African startups that have achieved unicorn status or successful exits. 📅 Track: Investor Track 🗣️ Panel Session: From Startups to Unicorns: The Path to Successful Exits in Africa We are excited to present a distinguished panel of speakers who will share their insights on navigating the investment landscape in Africa and the critical pathways to success: Panelists: 🎙️Emmanuel Adegboye: As the Head of Madica, Emmanuel leads a structured investment program for pre-seed stage companies in Africa, empowering underrepresented founders. With a rich background in urban innovation and extensive experience in technology projects across emerging markets, Emmanuel is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs who are solving Africa’s biggest challenges. 🎙️Mark Birch: Co-Founder, Founder in the Cloud, Mark is currently the Global Startup Advocate at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He helps founders leverage cloud and AI technologies to build, grow, and scale their startups. Mark's insights into the tech ecosystem are invaluable for anyone looking to understand the dynamics of successful startup scaling. 🎙️Aysha Tegally: An Investment Advisor at Vatternfields Investments, Aysha collaborates with investors and entrepreneurs to enhance capital deployment to women-led businesses. With a focus on creating solutions for the planet’s biggest problems, she has been instrumental in shaping early-stage investment initiatives in Africa and the UK. 🎙️Jo Griffiths: Co-Founder of Global Innovation Initiative Group Africa Fund, Jo is a global thinker and investor focused on raising visibility and building partnerships for next-gen technologies. With a career dedicated to fostering innovation across Africa, Jo's work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, making her a key player in driving social impact initiatives. Moderator: 🎙️Francis Omorojie: Founder & Venture Partner at Ennovate Ventures, Francis is a venture builder and angel investor passionate about empowering Africa's underrepresented young entrepreneurs. With a portfolio of impactful startups and a focus on inclusive prosperity, Francis brings a wealth of experience in supporting high-growth companies. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from these visionary leaders and gain insights into the strategies that propel startups to unicorn status. Be part of the conversation that’s shaping Africa’s digital future! 👉 Register today: https://lnkd.in/d3nr7xWM African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) Tanzania Hubs Network ERIA: Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Cloudmania B-Tech AV Mounts République française Anglo American Interledger Foundation Intel Corporation ReCha City of Cape Town Technology Innovation Agency

The Demo Day of our Acceleration is approaching, which means it's time to tell you who will evaluate our startups ☝️ We have invited investors from the best funds in Ukraine to provide quality feedback to our startups and decide who will receive a non-equity investment of 💰 $25k from YEP and u.ventures. 🔹 Anton Waschuk, Director of innovation, education and entrepreneurship at Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund 🔸 Oleksandr Yatsenko 🇺🇦, Principal at SMOK Ventures 🔹 Andrew Zinchuk, Founder and bizdev leader at ZAS Ventures 🔸 Anton Vaisburd, General Partner at SID Venture Partners 🔹 Kirill Kirikov, General Partner at SID Venture Partners 🔸 Ivan Petrenko, Managing Partner at Angel One 🔹 Petro Sovyak-Krukovskyy, Investment Professional at Vesna Capital 🔸 Maksym Strukov, Investment Associate at Geek Ventures 🔹 Vlad Tislenko, Partner at SMRK VC 🔸 Oleh Karizskyi, Investment manager at Flyer One Ventures For the participants of our Acceleration, this list is truly impressive, as the opportunity to communicate directly with the country's top funds is very valuable for them. Therefore, we are grateful to the investors for their commitment and look forward to meeting them! We will publish all the details of the Demo Day very soon 😉 📌 The YEP Acceleration is supported by the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund, which supports initiatives to promote reforms in Ukraine and transformational projects. Program partners: USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine (USAID CEP), Ukrainian Startup Fund, Cisco, Genesis Tech.